According to official sources, the Bengaluru state government plans to boost seed potato output by entering into an agreement with a Bangalore-based company for the production of seed potatoes. The proposal, which aims at meeting the state's seed potatoes demand, now awaits cabinet approval.
The move will help farmers get seed potatoes at a cheaper rate, said a government officer, adding that the company will be allowed to sell excess production to other states. At present, the state produces only 300 MT of seed potatoes against the demand of 30,000 MT per annum.
The company is projected to produce 110,000 MT of seed potatoes a year by 2020, said sources. According to the draft cabinet memorandum prepared for the propose, the state government will allocate 10 acres at Deras in Khurda district and 40 acres in Koraput to the company on lease basis for production of seed potatoes. The company will set up a tissue culture laboratory and arrange funds for its mission. It will also use technical resources available in-house to identify relevant breeder seeds that can be multiplied on farmlands.
